First Day Back

I woke up to an alarm today, a day which will not be full of fun.

Unlike previous years, I have come to a point in my career (wow, I can call it that now) that I get work during our slow season. Not a huge amount; I won't be swamped like I will be March through June, but enough to get by. I'm experimenting this month with not tapping into my savings and seeing if I can, miracle of all miracles, pay all my bills without touching the little bit I stashed away when times were good.

But, unfortunately, that brings me to today, this morning, at 7:25am right now. I'm writing, I'm tired, and all I want to do is go back to sleep.

I cannot stand the first day back; I never have. My body got into a rhythm of waking up by my roommate's knock on my door. I'd drop her off at work, read a book in my car for an hour (I'm quirky; just accept it), exercise, eat lunch, write, chat with the other roomie who gets home early, and then pick up my first roomie from work or meet her at a Happy Hour.

This pattern would be all well and good if I made any money during the day. But, since I don't have a five figure book deal that includes a share of the profits from units sold... Nope, I'm not Stephen King yet, so this routine, though lovely, was fleeting.

There are somethings I feel now that I felt back when I had to go back to school after Winter Break: a stiffness in my neck from stress, the intoxicating allure of my bed, my emotional temper tantrum after I hit the snooze button for the fifth time.

However I endure. I guess the shitty part of all this is I'm not making much money today, about $80 before taxes. It's simple menial work, but it's work. And it's $80 more than I had yesterday. And I'll make another $80 tomorrow, and another $80 on Thursday. And, after having lived through five years of this business and having years where I did not get any work during the slow season, I really can't say no to it now, as low paying as it may be. At least I'll finish before midnight, which I will not be able to say in a month.